Shadow of the Blood Fiend

The next day, just as dawn was breaking.

Qingyang City had already exploded into chaos.

The Zhao Family's alchemy room was burned, resulting in heavy losses. Their first-rank alchemist guest elder was so enraged he coughed up blood and fainted on the spot, falling into unconsciousness.

An elite guard from the Li Family was found dead in the street, his body gruesomely mangled.

But the most explosive news was that someone discovered the stolen rare medicinal herbs from the Zhao Family, along with a money pouch belonging to the Li Family, in the back alley of the Wang Family's "Four Seas Money House"!

With both witnesses and evidence, rumors began to spread like wildfire.

"Did you hear? The Li Family attacked the Zhao Family last night, not only killing people but also burning down the alchemy room!"

"More than that! I also heard the Wang Family was involved! The stab wounds on that Li Family guard were inflicted by the Wang Family's Blood Fiend Saber Technique!"

"My heavens! Weren't these three families allied? Why are they fighting amongst themselves?"

"What allies? It's all for profit! I bet the Wang and Li Families joined forces to swallow the Zhao Family!"

Various versions of speculation spread wildly in the city's teahouses and taverns, pushing the already tense situation into an even deeper abyss of chaos.

The relationship between the three major families instantly plummeted to freezing point.

The Li Family Patriarch and the Zhao Family Patriarch, leading large entourages, aggressively blockaded the entrance to the Wang Family mansion, demanding an explanation from Wang Wei.

Wang Wei, unable to defend himself, was so furious he nearly fainted on the spot.

He knew he had been played!

Played by that damned Chen Family Remnant, who deserved to die ten thousand times over!

That little beast hadn't even left the city. Like a venomous snake hidden in a gutter, he had used the most malicious schemes to effortlessly dismantle their alliance, making them turn on each other!

"Chen! Chen!"

Wang Wei let out a beast-like roar within the assembly hall.

He finally felt true fear.

This opponent not only possessed terrifying strength but also a mind that was monstrously cunning!

Chen Chen paid no mind to the storm raging outside.

He was in Uncle Fu's courtyard, inventorying another significant gain from the previous night.

It was an old, tattered book he had casually "taken" from the ruins of the Zhao Family's alchemy room.

The situation had been chaotic then, but he felt that since the alchemist had placed the book in the most central location, it must be extraordinary, so he brought it out with him.

Brushing off the dust, four ancient characters came into view.

Introduction to Alchemy.

This was a classic text detailing the fundamental knowledge of alchemy.

Chen Chen opened the pages and was immediately captivated by the profound content.

Pharmacology, heat control, the roles of different ingredients, medicinal formulas... a new, magical world slowly opened its doors to him.

Although he couldn't refine pills yet, much of the knowledge in the book gave him a clearer understanding of his future path of cultivation.

Especially the methods for identifying and processing medicinal herbs recorded within, which were invaluable to him.

"Good stuff."

Chen Chen carefully placed the book into his Storage Bag.

He then picked up the intelligence report Uncle Fu had just delivered and began to read it carefully.

The report detailed the three major families turning against each other and the direction of public opinion in the city.

Everything was proceeding according to his plan.

In fact, the results were even better than he had anticipated.

The Wang Family was now isolated, holed up in their mansion, daring not to make any further moves.

"It's time to give them their final grand gift."

A cold glint flashed in Chen Chen's eyes.

He needed another two hundred points of cultivation to achieve a "perfect breakthrough."

And the entire Wang Family mansion was his final "cultivation resource."

However, just as he was preparing to formulate his next course of action, a piece of information at the end of the report caught his attention.

"According to a secret informant within the Wang Family, Wang Wei has been frequently entering and exiting the family's forbidden area, the 'Blood Pool,' seemingly performing some sort of evil ritual. Additionally, the informant mentioned that in three days, an 'Emissary from a Superior Sect' will descend upon the Wang Family."

Blood Pool? Emissary from a Superior Sect?

Chen Chen's brow furrowed deeply.

He recalled the words spoken by the mysterious White-robed Woman in the Black Wind Mountain Range.

"The Wang Family of Qingyang City is in league with the 'Blood Fiend Tower,' wreaking havoc and deserving death a thousand times over."

The Blood Fiend Tower!

Could it be that this so-called "Emissary from a Superior Sect" was someone from the Blood Fiend Tower?

A terrifying guess surfaced in his mind.

The Wang Family might not be a local power in Qingyang City at all. They were merely a pawn placed in Qingyang City by that even larger, more sinister "Blood Fiend Tower"!

The Wang Family's rapid rise and their slaughter of the Chen Family over the years were likely all under the shadow of this Blood Fiend Tower!

This realization caused Chen Chen's heart to sink instantly.

His enemy was far more powerful than he had imagined!

If an emissary from the Blood Fiend Tower were to arrive, they would undoubtedly be in the Qi Condensation Realm, or even a higher level of expert!

With his current Ninth Level of Body Tempering strength, confronting them would be like a moth to a flame.

"Three days..."

An unprecedented seriousness and resolve flashed in Chen Chen's eyes.

He didn't have much time left.

He had to deal with the Wang Family and complete his breakthrough before that so-called "emissary" arrived!

The plan had to change!

He could no longer eliminate their influence one by one as he had before.

He needed a thunderous action, a single battle to decide everything!

"Uncle Fu!" Chen Chen called out in a deep voice.

"Your servant is here!" Uncle Fu immediately pushed open the door and entered.

"I need the most detailed map of the Wang Family mansion, including the location of that forbidden area, the 'Blood Pool.' Also, find a way to get me some 'Fire Luring Thunder,' the more the better!"

Fire Luring Thunder was a low-level talisman creation. Its power was not great, but it excelled at creating a massive commotion upon detonation, enough to sow chaos.

Uncle Fu's expression changed: "Young Master, you intend to... forcefully attack the Wang Family mansion?"

"No." Chen Chen shook his head, his eyes flashing with a wild light.

"It's not a forceful attack."

"I want to completely erase the entire Wang Family from the map of Qingyang City!"

"I want that mansion to become a true... scorched earth!"

He stood up and looked in the direction of the Wang Family mansion, as if he could already see the towering flames.

Meanwhile.

At the Wang Family mansion, within the forbidden area of the Blood Pool.

It was dark and damp, the air filled with a thick scent of blood.

A massive pool occupied the entire underground chamber.

What churned in the pool was not water, but viscous... blood, exuding an evil aura!

Countless resentful souls floated and wailed in the blood pool.

Wang Wei sat cross-legged on a stone platform in the center of the blood pool. His face was pale, but his eyes were exceptionally excited.

In front of him, a pulsating, blood-red heart the size of a human head floated.

The heart seemed alive, and with every beat, it absorbed the immense blood energy from the blood pool.

"Soon... it will be soon..."

Wang Wei muttered to himself, his voice hoarse and frenzied.

"As long as the Blood Fiend Demonic Heart is perfected, I will ascend to the heavens and step into the Qi Condensation Realm! At that time, let alone a mere remnant of the Chen Family, even the entire Qingyang City will bow at my feet!"

"Chen Chen... you just wait! When I emerge from seclusion, your soul will be annihilated!"

He did not know that the future he anticipated no longer existed.

Because Chen Chen's final judgment was about to arrive.